The "lost" 1906 San Francisco Street Film

This film was "lost" for many years. It was the first 35mm film ever. It was taken by camera mounted on the front of a cable car. The amount of automobiles is staggering for 1906. Absolutely amazing! The clock tower at the end of Market Street at the Embarcadero wharf is still there. (I'm also wondering ... how many "street cleaning" people were employed to pick up after the horses? Talk about going green!).

The film, originally thought to be from 1905 until David Kiehn with the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum figured out exactly when it was shot. From New York trade papers announcing the film showing to the wet streets from recent heavy rainfall & shadows indicating time of year & actual weather and conditions on historical record, even when the cars were registered (he even knows who owned them and when the plates were issued!).. It was filmed only four days before the infamous 1906 San Francisco earthquake and shipped by train to NY for processing, meaning most of the buildings (and perhaps many of the people) shown were destroyed by fire days later. Amazing, but true, and a priceless piece of history captured on celluloid.

Music is by the band Air.